Apparatus for drawing glass



sept. zo, 1927. 11543352 A. A. DEBRocQ APPARATUS FOR DRAWING GLASS Filed seme;I 192e .I 2 sheets-sheet 1 f Smau /Zder'ocq Se t. 2

p 0 1927 A. A. DEBRocQ APPARATUS FOR DRAWING GLASS Filed sept. 9, 192e 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented sept. zo, 1927.

f UNITED s'rrpgrs Pnlsrrr oFFice.

Y ADHEMAR A. DEBROCQ, F FAIRCHANGE,PENNSYLVANIA..

APPARATUS v'Fon DRAWING anlass.r

y Application filed September 9, 1926.A V.Serial No. 134,458.

KVThe present 'invention relates ,to improvements 1n apparatus 'for drawingjglassand lconsists in certainfimprovements in exist-v ing apparatuslaccordingto what is known as the'F0urcau1tiprocess.,iv

vFrequentl;the edges or'border portionsy` ofthe drawn glasssheet break and the falling pieces ofglass strike theFourcaultl supplyingkiloat, denting or otherwise'impairing the i l0 lips o r edgeportions of .the slot, through which the borderportionspf the sheet are drawn. The goodqualitylof the drawn glass p in thisparticular: process isfdependent'upon the good Acondition/ofthe slot Vin the float. Impaired slotwalls vwillproduoe' bad or 'defecti've edges' in the-drawnsheet. v Such defects consist in abnormally thick and nonh ,uniform edges, or'edges or border portions scribed hereinafter, and'willV bemore par- Y ticularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto. Y a

In the drawings, ,wherein like symbols ,refer tovlike or correspondingparts through-` out theseveial views,

Figure 1 is :a vertical section taken through `,an [apparatus constructed according to the presentinvention., i f

Figure 2 is ahorizontal section taken'on the linek2--2 in Figure 1. s f

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the Idrawing rollers with the glass sheet indicated as in sectiony l u t Figure 4 is a perspective view of adetail takenon an enlarged scala-and Figure 5 is a vertical section taken onthe lineA 5--5 in Figure 1..

In drawing sheet glass by the Fourcault process, the edges of the sheet are slightly beaded, as indicated at `6 inFigure 3; that is the edges arev slightly `thicker than the` intermediate portion of the sheet indicated at k7.' For this reason the rolls 8,*whi`ch` are used for drawing' the sheet are tapered or cut away, at theirlends 9 kthus leaving a space 10 'through which `the beaded edge kportions 6 of the sheet upwardly pass out of'contact with "theV rolls. BrokenA glass falling from the edge portions is thus enabled to fall between the rolls through the space 10 and thus to strike the walls of the supplying fioat 11, which is placed. in the glass bath 12 in the furnace 13 below.

According tothe invention the device,

shown in Figure 4. is pla-ced upon the furnace,

roof .14 adjoining the opening 15 through which the glass sheet 7 passes from the float 11 tothe drawing rolls This device .consists of thev base plate` 16A made of metal or other suitable' material and this yplate is curved crbent at .17. if desired,y to tit the speci al construction of furnace;

The plate is provided witha slot 18 opening through its inner edge and flaps or strips 19 and 2O are hinged or otherwisesecured toV opposite walls of the slot 18, as indicated at 21 and 22. The open slot 18 receives the drawn border portionsof the'sheet and the side walls ofthe lslot 18 are spaced from the` sides of the sheet. The iiaps 19an'd V20 are loosely hinged, to the plate and these flaps extend: upwardly in angular relation lto thel plane of the,plateliandV they bear at theirV upper nearv edges upon' opposite sides-of the border portions of thesheet 7. as shown in4 Figurew2l It'is ,clear that :the Vflaps,"which are arranged at the border portions of the sheet will catch any falling glass from above.

'Such falling` glass will strike'the inclined flaps 19 and 2O and he deflected aside by them. The float 11 is thus protected from injury by falling .glass from the edges of the sheet during drawing. These aps engage the border portionsof the sheet at a point above the bath where the glass is set, and preferably beneath or between the drawing rolls. These flaps are wide enough and long enough to extend beyond the border portions of the sheet in van outward directionr and'beyond a line projected downwardly f from the beveled portions 9ct the drawing Y 1 The flaps rolls 8 in an'inward direction. thus lafford fullprotection against falling glass at the edges. Since they contact with the hot set glass, these fiaps are preferablyV mad-e of asbestos'or like material which will not check or crack the glass. t'

At 23 in Figuresl and 5 are indicated angle -ironson top ofthe furnace roof 14 adjacent the opening 15. The outer portions of the plates 16rest upon or are Xed v to the furnace roof 14, whilethe upwardly curved inner portions of such plates extend over and may rest upon the end portions of the angle irons The devices may be introduced and withdrawn through the doors or openings Q4; above the lurnace root' in the Vertical leer casing1 Q5.

It obvious that various changes and modifications nia)v be inade in the details oil' construction and design of the abetespeeilically described embodiment ot this inrention without departingy from the spirit thereol'i such Changes andv modifications being' restricted only by the scope of the iollowing claims.

lVhat is claimed is:-

l. In a glass drawing apparatus, a holder for a hath ot glass1 a suppl'yinfnv float in the bath np through which the girlass sheet is drawn, means tor drawing` the glass sheet upwardly, and tlaps wholly below said drawing' means and above the l'loat and lyingl at the edge portions ouhv of the sheet for intorcepting fallingl glass.

2. In a glass drawingY apparatus, a holder tor a hath of glass, a supplyingtloat in the bath up through which the glass sheet drawn.v nieans for drawing; the glass sheet upwardlym and upwai'dlY convergent pivoted flaps at the bordel' portions ot the sheet OulxY .interposed between said drawing` means and the loat and wholly below said drawingv ineens for catching the diverting` falling;l

glass from the tloat.

In a glass .lrawin`eapparatus a holder 'for a bath ol glass, a supplying' loat in the bath np through which the glass sheet is drawn, means ttor drawing the glass sheet upwardly, slotted plates at the border portions of the drawn sheet between said loat and drawing means, and flaps pivoted to said plates and bearing at their free edges against the side portions of the sheet.

et. In an apparatus for drawing glass, a holder for a bath of glass, a float therein haring a slot through which the glass sheet is upwardlyv drawn, drawing rolls engaging' the glass sheet harina,l eut away end portions at the borders of the sheet, plates having slots for 'freely envelopingthe border portions of the glass sheet between such rolls and the float, and pivoted flaps orretractor)T material extending' upwardly in convergent relation, said Aflaps being' pivoted at the sides ot' the slots on said plates and overlapping' the side edges ot the glass and sheet and the space directly below the ont away ends oit said (.lrawing` rollers whereb to catch the falling glass and prevent the same troni striking the float,

5. In a glass drawing apparatus, a holder tor a hath `ot glass, a supplying' tloat in the bath np through which the glass sheet is drawn, means for drawing the glass sheet upwardly, and flaps in Contact with the sides ot' the border portions only of the sheet for interceljiting falling glass.

6. Means 'for drawing a sheet of glass troni a bath oli niolten glass including rolls having; their end portions out ot Contact with the border portion oit the sheet, and flap members positioned below the rolls so as to Contact with opposite sides of the sheet border portions only.

In testimony whereolz I alix my signattn'e.

ADHEMAR A. DEBROCQ. 

